BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Monday retried the criminal case of Zhang Wenzhong, a former retail company chairman.

Zhang Wenzhong, former chairman of Wumei Holdings, parent of Chinese retail chain Wumart Stores, was prosecuted in 2007 by the Municipal People's Procuratorate of Hengshui in north China's Hebei Province for fraud, bribery and embezzlement.

Zhang Wenzhong was fined and sentenced to 12 years in prison for the charges in a final ruling by Hebei Higher People's Court in 2009.

Zhang Wenzhong first petitioned Hebei Higher People's Court and the SPC. In December 2017, the SPC decided to retry the case.

During the trial, Zhang Wenzhong's attorney presented new evidence and asked a witness to attend the court proceedings, and the prosecutors cross-examined the defendants.

The two sides also debated whether acts by the defendants, including Zhang Wenzhong, Zhang Weichun and Wumart Stores, constituted crimes.

The defendants and the representative of Wumei Holdings made the final statements. The collegiate bench will announce the sentence later.

The families of the defendants, representatives of employees of Wumei Holdings, representatives of relevant institutions, as well as members of the public attended the hearing.